Ever wonder how to tame that ravenous sweet tooth that aches inside your mouth? All too often, we turn to cookies, candy bars, and desserts to satsify our hankerings for the sweet stuff. But those cookies and candies are usually laden with refined sugar, white flour (which is so refined it pretty much just turns to sugar in our bodies anyway), and low-quality oils. Not to worry, though. In this post, I hope to provide you with some simple but successful strategies to say “sayonara” to your sweet tooth once and for all!
In order to stop a sweet tooth before it starts, protein is a pretty big factor. Let’s start with some basics. The building blocks of protein are called amino acids. Believe it or not, amino acids (or Double-A’s, as I often call them) actually balance certain chemicals in our brains. When those chemicals get out of balance—which occurs when protein intake is too low and all of the essential amino acids are not being supplied—then cravings can start to kick in. There’s a very interesting book on this topic (and many other topics) called The Diet Cure by Julia Ross. It’s super informative and very reader-friendly. I would highly recommend it for anyone struggling with strong carb cravings, candida issues, or adrenal fatigue.
So that’s tip number one. To fight carb cravings and stop your sweet tooth before it starts, get enough protein! The best sources of protein come from lean meats like pasture-raised chicken and turkey, grass-fed beef and wild fish. Beans, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds also supply an excellent source of plant protein along with a hearty dose of fiber.
If you don’t beat your sweet tooth before it arrives, here are some other tips to help you make the best choices when your craving feels out of control:
- Go for fruit: it’s amazing how sweet seasonal fruit can be. Enjoy fresh fruits like apples, pears, and oranges or even a bowl of thawed frozen berries over sugar-laden desserts. Sprinkle your fruit with a bit of cinnamon, which helps to balance blood sugar levels. Add a few chopped walnuts or toasted slivered almonds on top and you’ve got yourself a nutritious and sweet snack.
- Drink water: next time you get a sweet tooth, try drinking a big glass of water. This works 90% of the time for my cravings. So often I think I’m hungry for a sweet treat but really, I’m just thirsty.
- Enjoy your favorite sweets on occasion: you read that right. By allowing yourself to enjoy a slice of pie (one small slice!) or bowl of ice cream (one small bowl!) or whatever your favorite indulgence is on occasion, you’ll avoid the risk of depriving yourself for too long and then binging on a whole box of chocolates or an entire pint of ice cream. I’m not suggesting you treat yourself to a sweet every night or go out for ice cream a few times a week by any means. Instead, adopt the 90/10 method. Eat well 90% of the time and live a little more loosely the other 10%.
For a few tasty recipes for guilt-free treats to quench your sweet tooth, check out these honeyed nuts, date balls and cocoa balls that taste like truffles. I kid you not!
(This post is linked to Fight Back Friday.)
Hey, thanks for the recommendations. I do notice that sometimes when I think I want candy I really want some nice water with lemon. For real! The craving disappears.
The honey nuts were pretty good, but mine came out sticky. Did I use too much honey or not cook them enough? Facebooked your link
Cori—hmm, not sure why they turned out sticky. Using too much honey could have been the problem. Or perhaps you didn’t let them cool long enough?
Thanks for facebooking the link by the way!
Another trick to combat the sweet craving is eat something sour. Don’t know why this works, but it does!